Stranger’s Generosity Turns Foster Child’s Shopping Trip Into a Night She’ll Never Forget

When Sarah Mitchell took her newest foster daughter, eight-year-old Lily, on a quick trip to a Target in North Carolina, she expected nothing more than to pick up essentials. Like many children entering foster care, Lily had arrived with almost nothing—ragged shoes, clothes that didn’t fit, and no pajamas, socks, or basic toiletries. Sarah wanted to make sure Lily had what she needed, along with a few snacks and small comforts to help her feel at home.

As the two wandered into the costume section, giggling together, a woman named Carolyn approached them. Curious, Carolyn asked Sarah about her work. When Sarah explained her role in foster care ministry, Carolyn’s face lit up. She revealed that she herself had been in foster care as a teenager.

Before Sarah could respond, little Lily spoke up in her innocent voice: “I’m in foster care.” Carolyn paused, her eyes softening. She looked at Sarah and asked gently, “Can I bless her with a toy?”

What happened next was nothing short of extraordinary. For the next hour, Carolyn—who works as a schoolteacher—treated Lily to a shopping spree straight out of a TV show. Together, they filled the cart with shoes, a backpack, toys, bath bombs, fluffy socks, a blanket, and a pillow. Carolyn’s generosity left Sarah speechless.

“She had no idea this child had come to me with basically nothing,” Sarah later said. “But God did.”

By the time they returned home, Lily was beaming. She played with her new toys, wore her fresh pajamas and socks, and cuddled into her soft new blanket. Between smiles, she whispered over and over, “God blessed me.”

That night, less than 24 hours after her world had been turned upside down, Lily felt dignity restored. She felt special. And for Sarah, the moment was a powerful reminder of what true generosity looks like: “I want to be like Ms. Carolyn when I grow up.”